Fire, Ice, and Extremely Long Hair
by Rowan Cousland
Summary: AU: Katara is a momma's girl whose spent her entire life locked away from the world. Zuko is a dashing young thief wanted by every Nation in the world. What happens when these two meet, and Zuko learns of Katara's magic hair? ZukoxKatara. Other pairings are to be determined later.
1. In The Dark of The Night

Chapter One

In The Dark of The Night

"_Water with moon's glow, let your power shine. Make the clock reverse, return what once was mine. Heal what has been hurt, change the spirits' design. Restore the balance lost; return what once was mine, what once was mine."_

Azula murmured the song as she dipped her hands into the Spirit Oasis, inhaling deeply as its powers fueled her. After tonight, she'd be able to fire bend for another few months.

If things had gone her way five years ago, she wouldn't have any need of the water.

Five years ago, her kingdom of the Fire Nation was at war, and was winning. The Fire nation had raided all of the three kingdoms, nearly conquering the entire world. Azula had been in charge of an attack on the Earth Kingdom and failed. She'd been banished because of her failure. She was fifteen at the time.

Before her humiliating failure, The Fire Nation had attacked the North Pole, forcing the Northern Water tribe to flee to the south. The North was now empty, save for a few animals and a few water bending stragglers. Azula had been sent there as her punishment, and as a result of the cold, and being away from home for so long, Azula lost her ability to fire bend.

But about a year ago, she'd come across the hidden Spirit Oasis. She'd heard of the healing powers the Oasis, and decided to try it out for herself. It had worked, but with a cost. Every time she used water from the Oasis, it would disappear bit by bit. The moment she began to realize it, she decided to start rationing out her water use. She had to save as much of it as possible to keep her bending going.

But little did she know, far across the sea in the South Pole, someone else needed the water just as much as she did. The Queen of the Water Tribe, Kya, was with child, and had grown very ill. Both she and her unborn child were at risk. Not even their tribe's most skilled healers could help cure the sickness.

King Hakoda, wanting desperately to help his wife, sent his best water benders to the North to collect what remained of the Spirit Oasis, and transport the Water and Moon spirits to the South Pole.

That had been four weeks ago, and the water benders had landed on the shore of the North Pole ten minutes before Azula had come to the Oasis.

Azula had barely begun to absorb the water's healing magic before she heard footsteps ahead of her. Keeping quiet, she listened, and heard four men coming in her direction. She'd barely gotten enough water to cast a single lightning bolt!

Powerless and outnumbered, Azula quickly stood up and hid behind a tree.

A few moments later, the water benders had found their way into the Oasis.

"We found it!" a man shouted. "We found the Oasis!"

"Bend the water into our barrels!" a woman shouted back. "And keep the spirit's safe! We don't want anything happening to them!"

The benders took their stance, and began to bend the water. Soon, the Oasis was empty.

"That should be enough." The male bender from before had said. "Let's get these back to the Queen."

The water had filled two barrels, and it took two water benders to get the water and spirits safely out of the Oasis. When that task was finished, they began to trek the barrels to their ship on the coast.

Azula clenched a fist. She wasn't giving up her water without a fight. She emerged from her hiding place and ran after the benders.

By the time she'd caught up with them, the benders were loading the barrels onto the ship's hold. Before the ship pulled out, Azula had snuck her way onto it.

There were about six more water benders on the ship then there were that took the water. Azula found herself outnumbered again, and being forced to hide out again. She crouched down behind some barrels out of the benders sights. The next time they docked, she would steal the water back, and escape in one of their life boats.

But her plan was never put into action. The benders had reached the South Pole within three weeks without stopping once. When they had docked in the South Pole harbor, they took the barrels and trekked their way to the royal palace.

* * *

><p>From there, the healers took one of the barrels up to the Queen's bedchambers to being their healing.<p>

The King paced the hallway outside his room for a day on end, frantic with worry. He was unsure what to think of at this moment, and unsure whether his wife lived or not.

But when one of the healers emerged from the room, Hakoda's heart leapt in his chest. "Does she live?" he asked.

The healer nodded, and smiled. "She's been healed my lord. That, and much more."

"What do you mean?" Hakoda asked.

The healer gestured towards the door. "Go see for yourself."

Hakoda quickly made his way into his room, seeing his wife sitting up in bed, holding a bundle of blankets. She looked up at her husband and smiled. "Hakoda, come say hello to your daughter." A day after she'd been healed, Queen Kya had given birth to a beautiful baby girl, whom she'd named Katara.

The King and Queen had found something odd about Katara. Her brown hair had been unusually long for a newborn baby, and her hair seemed to have a bluish tinge to it. But nonetheless, they loved her all the same.

Unknown to the King and Queen, that bluish tinge to Katara's hair, contained the power of the Spirit Water. Azula had soon learned this, and quickly made her way to the royal palace.

* * *

><p>Stealthily, she'd made her way into the royal bedchambers where the King, Queen, and baby Katara slept.<p>

Azula drew her dagger, and strode over to Katara's crib. Her hair seemed to have a blue glow in the moonlight. Azula gently placed two fingers on a lock of hair, and murmured the healing song.

A small shock of lightning began to form ad her fingertips. Azula smiled, and cut the lock of hair away with her dagger. But the power quickly faded, and the hair lost its blue glow.

Azula gasped, and clenched her fist. She couldn't cut the hair away from the child without losing the healing powers.

Then, a thought came to mind, and she smiled. "No matter." She thought. "If the healing power thrive off of this child, then so be it."

With that thought, she picked up the sleeping baby, and made her way to the window.

The Queen had awoken an hour later to check on her child. Sleepily, she stood up, and walked over to the crib.

To her dismay, she found the crib empty! Panicking, she looked around to see if Katara had somehow gotten out. Her eyes then fell on the open window, and the lock of Katara's hair that had fallen to the floor.

"Hakoda!" she cried, awaking the King. "It's Katara! She's been taken!"

"Guards!" the King called. "Sound the alarms; let no one leave the palace! Our princess is missing!"

* * *

><p>But by the time the alarms had sounded, Azula had made off with the child on a life boat returning to the North Pole. The baby had slept through the entire trip.<p>

Years had passed, and Katara grew up knowing Azula as her mother. They'd lived in the empty palace together, where Katara had practically everything she'd ever wanted. And every month, Azula would brush Katara's hair while singing the song of healing, absorbing her healing powers, and regaining her bending. The one rule Azula had given Katara, was that she could never go outside the palace.

But every year, on Katara's birthday, she would look into the night sky, and see blue paper lanterns floating over head. She'd never had an idea where they'd come from, or why they were set off to begin with. But she knew, some day, she would find out.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: So I hope you guys enjoyed my first chapter! And remember, reviews make the world go round. :D**_


	2. Mother Knows Best

Chapter Two

Mother Knows Best

"Momo? Momo where are you?" Katara shouted in a sing songy voice. "I know you're here somewhere!"

The lemur dashed across the hallway. The seventeen year old girl was in pursuit. He had to find a place to hide. Somewhere.

Then, it struck him. On the windowsill was an empty flower pot. He quickly jumped up on the windowsill, and slid into the pot.

Katara stopped for a moment, looking around for her companion. "Momo?" she called out. To the right, she caught the flick of a tail as it sunk down into a flower pot. Katara grinned, and casually walked over to the pot.

"Well, it doesn't look like Momo is anywhere near here." she said. "Maybe is should go look in the library?" she walked past the pot, and then quickly pressed herself against the wall.

The lemur took the bait. Momo poked his head out of the flower pot. Seeing that the coast was clear, he climbed out of it.

Katara jumped out behind him and lightly tapped his ear. "Gotcha!" Katara laughed. "I win again! Let's go again, best two out of three."

The lemur narrowed its eyes at her, indicating that he'd grown tired of the game.

Katara sighed. "Alrighty then, what do you want to do?"

Momo glanced out the window, pointing out into the snow before them. Katara shook her head. "You know we can't do that Momo. Mother would get mad at us. I got away with it once. A second time would just push it."

The first time Katara had stepped outside of her palace was when she was six years old. She'd wandered around the snowy tundra, curious of what she could find. That was when she first met Momo. A baby flying lemur at the time. From the scrolls that she'd read, Katara knew Lemurs weren't native to the North Pole. To this day, she still wonders why she'd found Momo in the first place.

"I think I'll just do my chores before Mother gets back." Katara said with a sigh, turning her gaze from the window. She began to walk towards the main hall to begin her daily chores. Behind her, trailed yards of long brown hair. When her hair had first began to grow long, Katara found it difficult to do anything, but as the years passed, she'd grown accustomed to it.

Her to-do list for every day was to tidy up her room, her mother's room, the kitchen, and the library (which was an arrangement of fairly simple tasks, seeing as the palace was made of ice, and there wasn't always something to clean). From there, she could spend the day doing whatever it was she wished.

But, a few hours after she would complete her cleaning, Katara would find herself extremely bored. She'd already read every tome and scroll in the library countless times. Her room had been arranged just how she wanted it, so there was nothing to do there. He clothes were in good condition, as were her mother's, so there was no need for sewing.

But, no matter how bored she got, she always found herself rereading a particular scroll in the library. One that showed people moving water through movements of their body. Her mother had called it Water Bending. She'd found it interesting, and wondered if she could someday do something like that. It was one of the very many fantasies that went through her mind on a regular basis.

It was then that she would dream of leaving the palace, traveling across the four nations. She dreamed of seeing the blue lanterns when they were lit on her birthday.

Today, during her daydreams, Katara found herself back at her window, and released a longing sigh. "Maybe I could talk to mother about it." she said aloud. "What do you think Momo?"

Momo twitched a bit, and scratched the back of his head.

"You're right, Momo. I should." She stood up straight, and turned away from the window. "I'm going to do it this year. I'm going to ask her." With that said, she returned herself to her daydreams.

By midday, Azula returned home, calling for Katara to let her long hair down from the highest window of the palace. Azula had had the front doors of the palace taken down years ago, after Katara's first escape, and replaced them with solid ice. The only way she could get out or in, was through Katara's hair, and to this day Katara never understood why.

Once Azula was inside the palace, she dusted off her clothes. "Well, I see you managed to get your chores done again." Azula said.

Katara nodded. "Yes Mother." She said. "Is there ever a day where I don't?"

"Not that I've seen." Azula replied. "Dear, I'm feeling a tad bit weary. Could you sing for me? You know that always makes me feel better."

"Of course!" Katara exclaimed with a smile. She quickly rushed to a bookshelf on a far wall, and grabbed a blue and white comb. She handed it to Azula as she sat down in her favorite chair, and Katara sat in front of her.

Katara then sang, reciting the song he mother had taught her so long ago. "Water with moon's glow, let your power shine…"

Within minutes, Azula had dropped Katara's comb and hair. She sat back in her chair with a content sigh. "Thank you, Katara."

"You're welcome mother." Katara said. "So, mom, you know what's coming up in a few days right?"

Azula paused in thought for a moment. She looked up at Katara with a confused look on her face.

When she didn't answer, Katara responded quickly. "My Eighteenth birthday!"

Azula laughed. "No, that can't be right. I'm positive you had a birthday just last year.

Katara sighed at her mother's sarcasm. "Yes, well, that's kind of the point of a birthday. Happens every year."

"And? What brought this up?"

"Well… This year… I'd like to go to the South Pole."

Azula stiffened, and her eyes widened. "The South Pole? Why in the Four Nations would you want to go there?"

Katara dug her foot into the floor. "Well… Every year, on my birthday, there are blue lanterns that are lit, and they float above the palace. I've done some research, and according to the maps, they're coming from south of here. I'd like to go see them."

Azula sighed. "Oh Katara, we've been over this. People outside this palace…. They're not like us. The people out there are cruel, evil, and selfish."

"I know Mother, but if you go with me, you could protect me. Couldn't you?"

"I could, but I won't have to." Azula said. "Because we're not leaving.

"But Mother…"

Azula stood up quickly and faced Katara. "Did you not hear me, Katara? You are not leaving this palace! Do you understand?"

Katara was taken aback by her mother's sudden change of attitude. She felt small compared to Azula.

Azula suddenly noticed Katara's discomfort. She sighed, and sat back down. "Katara, I'm sorry. It's just that we've been over this so much, it's frustrating."

Katara stood in front of her mother. "Mother… I actually thought of something else I'd like."

Azula sighed and looked up at her again. "And what would that be?"

"Do you think you could get me some more fabrics for my sewing? I've wanted to make some new clothes for myself. Maybe even for you if you'd like."

"I'd have to go all the way to the Earth Kingdom to get what you would want…" Azula said. "Would you be alright by yourself for a few days?"

Katara nodded. "Of course."

"I'll leave now then." Azula said. She strode over to the window, and took a hold of Katara's hair. "Katara, I want you to know that I am truly sorry. I just want what's best for you."

Katara nodded again. "I know, Mother."

With that said, Azula began to descend down the wall. "Just remember Katara, mother always knows best." She said.

Within moments, Azula was gone, leaving Katara by herself.

**_A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this little chapter. Stay tuned for the next chapter, where we introduce our handsome, and dashing young thief, Zuko!_**


	3. On The Run

Chapter Three

On the Run

"Look at this view Mai!" Ty Lee giggled. "Isn't it just amazing?"

"Wonderful. Truly a work of art." Mai sighed in her usual drab monotone.

Zuko turned, and looked out into the distance where Ty Lee was looking. It truly was a beautiful sight. He could see the entire South Pole, and beyond the ocean, just from the palace's rooftop.

He took in a deep breath and released a sigh of longing. "Girls, it's official. I want a castle."

Ty Lee grinned and continued with her giggling. "I know right? Me too!"

Mai sighed in annoyance with both of them. "Zuko, if we finish this job you'll have enough money to buy your own. The thing is we've got to do this job correctly. So Ty Lee, enough with the giggling alright?"

Ty Lee stopped for a moment, obviously struggling to maintain her control.

Zuko turned away from the scene, and walked over to the skylight Mai had pried open. He pulled out his materials he needed from his pack. A coil of rope, his Blue Spirit mask, and his two swords, just in case things got messy.

He had Mai tie the rope around his waist, and Ty Lee strap his swords to his back as he slipped his mask on. "Alright girls." He said. "Lower me in."

Slowly and carefully, the girls slid Zuko in through the skylight. Below him, he could see the necklace of the supposedly lost princess lying on a blue silk pillow, unguarded. His employer had said that the necklace was worth mountains of gold, and it was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

When he was close enough, Zuko reached down to grab it. His fingers were just centimeters away from the ribbon, when the doors to the room opened. Zuko looked up through his mask to see two water benders entering the room.

"It's the Blue Spirit!" one of them shouted. "Stop him! He's stealing the necklace!"

_"Uh-oh."_ Zuko thought. "Pull me up!" he shouted as the benders took their stance. He quickly grabbed the necklace. Shards of ice shot at him, cutting into the rope holding him. Zuko created a wall of fire with his feet just as another spray of ice was fired off.

Before he knew it, Zuko was back on the roof with Mai and Ty Lee. "Start running. Now!" He said quickly, adrenaline and excitement filling him.

The three slid down the roof and back onto the ground, running to the docks. Their plan B was to steal a boat, and flee to the Earth Kingdom to find their employer again. The question was which boat?

Mai grabbed the bag Zuko had slipped the necklace into. "Find a boat. Now!" she said her voice a slight octave higher than her monotone. Zuko nodded, spotting a boat nearby.

He and the girls ran to the boat, the palace guards were hot on their heels. Zuko pulled out one of his swords, and jumped onto the boat.

Mai and Ty Lee were about to jump on themselves when suddenly, the frozen ground rose beneath them, encasing their ankles.

"Zuko, help us!" Ty Lee shouted.

A smirk crossed Zuko's lips when he saw the guards approaching them. He quickly cut the rope holding the boat to the docks, and pushed off. The girls' eyes widened. "Zuko?" Ty Lee said, frightened.

A gust of wind blew, pushing Zuko's boat and increasing its speed. Mai's eyes narrowed. "Zuko!" She shouted. She suddenly glanced down, noticing that her pack, which held the necklace, was gone! A growl formed in her throat. "ZUKO!"

"Have fun in prison girls!" Zuko shouted back at them, tossing Mai's pack in the air and catching it. "I'll miss the sound of your laughter!"

The royal guards could see Zuko's ship in the distance. The Captain of the Guard, Pakku, looked at their newest recruit, Sokka. "Sokka, you take your team and go after the Blue Spirit." He said. "The rest of you, arrest these women."

Sokka grinned, and turned to his troops. "You heard the man, let's go catch us a criminal!"

With that said, Sokka and his team boarded a large boat, and began to pursue Zuko.

Pakku turned around to face Mai and Ty Lee. "You two are in a load of trouble."

Mai smirked. "I think not." She muttered. "What do you think Ty Lee?"

Ty Lee smiled. "I think we can take with without even moving our feet."

Pakku reached out to grab onto Ty Lee. That was his first mistake. Ty Lee struck out, striking his wrist with her fingertips, then his elbow, his shoulder, and finally, she struck his center core, throwing him off balance, and blocking off his bending abilities. Her ankles were now free.

Three guards made an attempt to grab at the two girls. Mai slipped her hand into her belt, and pulled out a set of small kunai. With a flick of her wrist, the guards were pinned up against a nearby wall by their clothes. She was now free as well.

With their newfound freedom, the girls took off. They stole a boat, and sent themselves off in the direction that Zuko had fled to.

Days passed, and neither of them gave up on their chase.

But on the third day of traveling, Zuko could see the shores of the Earth Kingdom in the distance. A storm had struck, winds sending him in an entirely different direction. He tried to fight back against the winds, but they were too powerful. Within a matter of minutes, he'd been blown off course.

Another day passed, and Zuko had grown tired of traveling. But eventually, he began to notice the air growing colder, and more ice was showing up. He looked ahead, and saw the source of the ice. The North Pole.

Within minutes, his small boat had docked itself on the shore of ice. He stepped out into the snow, keeping his breathing steady to keep himself from freezing. Being of the Fire Nation, he wasn't used to the cold.

He looked out into the water, and saw that two boats were still in pursuit of him. Panicking, he took off running, heading to the palace he knew had been abandoned for almost twenty years.

Using his swords, he climbed up a tower wall to an open window. He hoped no one could see him this far in.

* * *

><p>Katara looked over the water bending scroll she'd hovered over millions of times in the past year. She attempted to move the water she'd set out in a bowl on the table in front of her.<p>

"Let's see…" she said. "Legs apart, check. Arms up, check. Now what?" she glanced at the picture, and saw that the woman in the drawing was moving she wrists to guide the water. "Alright." Katara sighed. "Let's try this."

She slowly lifted up her hands again, motioning towards the bowl of water. Slowly, the water began to rise.

Katara gasped in amazement, and her eyes widened. A smile crossed her lips. "I don't believe it!" she said. "It's actually working!"

The sudden slam of window shutters made her drop her arms quickly, and the water along with it. She quickly made her way to her tower room where her favorite window was. She was sure this was where she heard the sounds.

Sure enough, she was correct. Standing at the room, was a man with black hair, was dressed all in black, and holding a brown leather pack in his hands. He slipped something blue into it, and begun to turn around.

"Alone at last." He sighed. "Thank the Spirits."

Katara gasped as she caught sight of the left side of his face. It was red, swollen, and disfigured. He hadn't noticed her yet, seeing as he was looking in the entirely opposite direction. She stumbled backwards, reaching for something that she could use to defend herself against this intruder.

The water she'd been experimenting with had spilled all over the floor. Katara took a deep breath, and took her stance again. The water rose up, this time slightly larger than it was the last time. Using all the power she had, Katara sent the water towards her intruder, bringing it down on him, and whipping the back of his head, hard.

The intruder fell to the ground, dropping his pack. The force of Katara's water bending had knocked him out, cold.

When that was done. Katara worked quickly, trying to figure out what to do with him.


	4. The Beginning of a Journey

Chapter 4

The Beginning of a Journey

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Hey everybody! I'm sorry for the suuuuper long hiatus for this fanfic, but my inspiration of this story decided to blow a fuse. But, I'm back on track, so expect more updates from me on this story!**_

* * *

><p>Zuko groaned as he slowly began to emerge from his unconsciousness. He had no clue what had hit him, but his head was pounding. Small drops of water slid down the back of his neck, making him shiver.<p>

His first instinct was to wipe away the random drops of water and attempt to comfort his aching head. He found himself unable to do this for some odd reason.

His eyes shot down to his wrists, seething large chunks of ice encasing his wrists and ankles to the arms and legs of a wooden chair. He glanced around the room, wondering where he was. From what he could tell, he was in a library of some sort.

"Hello?" He called out. "Anybody there?"

"You thought you could get away with it, did you?" a female voice spoke.

Zuko's heart slammed against his chest. Had he been caught by the Southern Water Benders? Were they the ones that attacked him? "Who's there?!" He shouted. "Show yourself!"

From the shadows, a young woman appeared before him. She was obviously of the Water Tribe. Zuko could tell that much by her skin and hair color. Her hair was quite long, from what Zuko could see. Due to the shadows surrounding the room, he couldn't see how long her locks really were.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" He mumbled. "A girl? Seriously? I was knocked out by a girl?!"

"Why are you so surprised?" The girl asked, placing her hands on her hips. "A girl can be just as powerful as you men are."

Zuko groaned. He'd gotten enough of these speeches from Mai. "Yeah. Sure. Listen, I don't want any trouble here. So could you just, um, you know, let m-?"

"Well that's just too bad!" The girl retorted. "You got trouble the moment you set foot in this tower! Now, who are you and who sent you here?"

Zuko looked at her, confusion more than obvious on his face. So she wasn't a part of the Water Tribe's guards. She really didn't know who he was and knowing his luck, he'd have to keep it that way. He didn't want her turning him in.

"My name is Lee." He said, using an alias name he'd grown accustomed to. "I was traveling here on my way to the Earth Kingdom, but a storm ran my boat here. I climbed up the tower to look for shelter. Nobody sent me here, I swear!"

The girl seemed to relax a bit, buying his story. "You were going to the Earth Kingdom?"

Zuko nodded. "Yes, I was supposed to deliver the satchel I'm wearing to my…." He glanced down at his side, seeing that the pack was no longer there. He immediately began to panic. "Where is it?! Where's my pack?! I swear I was wearing it when I got in here! Oh man, what if I dropped it outside?! My boss is going to have my-."

"Um… Looking for this?" The girl asked.

Zuko's gaze shot up to the girl, seeing that she was holding his pack. He released a sigh of relief. "Yes, that's it! Thank yo-."

"Wait!" She interrupted again, pulling the pack away from him. "Before I give this back to you, I want to make a deal."

Zuko's eyes widened. "W-What?"

She nodded. "I'll give you back your pack, if you promise to do one little thing for me."

"Um, ok. Sure." Zuko replied, not seeing any issue with the matter. What was the worst she could ask for?

"So, you know how every year those pretty blue lanterns are lit, right?"

Zuko nodded. "Yeah. They're lit in remembrance of the lost Princess of the Southern Water Tribe. She disappeared about Eighteen years ago, if I remember correctly."

The girl paused, seeming to ponder over his words. "Really? That's really interesting…. But anyways, the reason a brought this up is because you, my good sir, are going to take me to the South Pole to see these lanterns. My birthday is next week, and it's conveniently on the same day they light the lanterns. You take me there, and get me home safely, and I'll give you back your satchel."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down there. I'm not agreeing to this! I'm already in enough trouble with the South Pole, and I don't need you making it worse! There is no way I'm going back there! No way!"

The girl simply smirked. "Fine then. I guess you won't be getting this back." She tossed the pack in the air and caught it again. She then walked over to a nearby table, and opened up the pack. "What's in here that's so important to you anyways?"

"No, stop! Don't do that!" Zuko shouted. "Get out of there!"

The girl hummed as she rummaged through his pack. "Let's see here. Canteen, empty coin purse, extra clothes… Oooh. What's this?"

Her hand came up; holding the one thing Zuko feared she'd take, in her slender fingers.

The necklace.

She held one end of the necklace's ribbon in each hand, cocking her head to the side as she examined it. "It's so pretty…" She whispered. She turned back around, facing Zuko. "Is this what you're so high strung about?"

Zuko's fists clenched and he felt a heat form in his hands. "Yes." He said through clenched teeth. "Now put it back before you break it."

"Aww is Lee mad at me now?" the girl teased. "I'm just looking at it. Calm down!" She turned back around, continuing to sift through his bag. "I wonder what else is in here…" Her fingers grazed across something solid and smooth. Oddly enough, it felt like a mask to her. Slowly, she hooked her fingers around it, and started to pull it out of the pack. "What's this?"

Suddenly, the girl heard a cracking sound and she spun around once again. Two warm hands wrapped around her wrists, forcing her to drop the necklace and release her prize from within the satchel. "That's quite enough." Zuko said, water dripping from his wrists. The girl seemed to shrink in his grasp, realizing what he was and how he'd broken free from her ice.

"You're a Fire Bender." She said, her voice not showing a hint of fear. This surprised Zuko. Most people were afraid of him and his kind.

He nodded, dropping his hands. He bent down to pick up the fallen necklace, but the girl's foot stopped him, coming down on the necklace's ribbon. Zuko cringed, seeing no other way out of this. If he wanted to get to the Earth Kingdom in time, he'd have to play along with her game. "Alright!" He sighed, standing back up. "Aright, you win. I'll take you to the South Pole."

The girl gasped. "Really? You mean it?"

Zuko nodded, knowing he was going to regret this. "Yeah, sure. Why not."

The girl squealed, throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you!" she shouted. "Oh, I better get my stuff ready! Momo! Come on! We're getting out of here!"

"Wait a second; I'm not going anywhere until you tell me one thing." Zuko said. The girl frowned, expecting him to suddenly change his mind. "What's your name?"

A huge smile broke out on the girl's face. "I'm Katara." She said, simply. "And I can tell you one more thing. This is going to be the start of a really great adventure!"

"Don't get your hopes up Sweetheart." Zuko muttered.

"Don't be so negative Lee!" Katara exclaimed, pinching his cheek. She picked up his bag, and slung it over his shoulder. "This'll be fun! I just know it! Now, where did I put my pack? Momo?! Where is that lemur? Oh man! Did he steal my comb again!?"

As Katara skipped around the room, gathering her things, Zuko smacked his hand onto his forehead. "Zuko, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" he muttered.

"Alright! I'm ready to go!" Katara said, the grin never leaving her face. She gestured towards the open window. "After you."

Zuko sighed, drawing his swords once again, and began his descent down the tower wall.

He only stopped once to glance up and see Katara standing in the window, seeming a bit hesitant. "You coming?" He asked.

He received his answer by Katara wrapping her hair around the hook she used as a pulley system for Azula. She then slid down her yards worth of glowing locks, giggling in a manner that reminded Zuko of Ty Lee.

"This is amazing!" She shouted as she swung back and forth from her hair. Her laughter never ceased, bringing a small smile to Zuko's face. He immediately shook his head, and continued his way down the tower.

By the time his feet were once again buried in snow, Katara had dropped down from the tower and was skipping about in the snow. "I can't believe it. It's been so long since I've touched snow… Was it always this cold?"

Zuko simply shook his head, dismissing her question. "Come on. If we want to make it to the South Pole, we're going to have to cut through the Earth Kingdom."

"Sounds exciting!" Katara gasped. "I can't wait... Oh, wait! One more thing!" she stuck two of her fingers between her lips and whistled.

A chattering noise erupted behind them and a small white creature glided down from the window and rested upon Katara's shoulder. "Lee, meet Momo."

Zuko actually did smile at this point. "A flying Lemur. Amazing! I didn't think they lived this far up north."

"Neither did I, but he's stuck by my side ever since I was little. He's my best friend."

Zuko then cleared his throat. "I hate to cut this short, Katara, but we better get going. I have a boat we can take. The trip to the Earth Kingdom should only take a day or two."

"Right, sorry." Katara said, gathering up her trail of hair. "Alright, you lead the way."

Together, the two found the boat right where Zuko had left it. From there, they began their journey to the Earth Kingdom.

But, little did the two know that a crucial piece of evidence, and two sheets of paper were left behind at the scene. Those sheets held the key to tracking down Zuko for two of the most unlikely people.

Soon, everyone would know the true face of the Blue Spirit.


End file.
